face the consequences

Rhyme shuffled his way deeper into Abaven’s territory. The threat of the slavers was gone forever, they had crushed them into the dust. Along with the atrocities that had taken place he was weighed down by the latest meeting with his… with Valentine. Rhyme was no longer an Imperialis. At first the thought had destroyed him, and he couldn’t shake the sting of it. He felt unwanted and like a failure. He wasn’t good enough.

His tail flicked in irritation behind him as he scored the ground with one pale paw. Rhyme grit his teeth and felt himself sinking into the deep dark hole that had opened at Darilnor’s death. He felt more lost now than when he’d been taken as a slave. All he wanted was to be alone, and as he found a nice thicket to curl up in Rhyme let himself get lost. More than ever he wanted to partake in that forbidden drink, to enjoy the inebriation that had gotten him into this mess to begin with.

He screamed out in silence, not wanting to draw attention to himself but feeling unable to vent his frustration. He didn’t want to accept his reality. Rhyme let his head fall onto his paws as his brows knit in pain and frustration. He was lost and letting himself go to the darkness. What else could he do?